I did a little bit of searching on the WCR forum, but didn’t uncover much. Does anyone have any experience or could point me to wheee I could get info on cleaning large skylights? It’s about 100’ long - ~2,000 Sf from what I can get from Google earth. I told them it would be t&m maybe 1 or 2 days. Flat roof - used to be a grocery store. Just trying to get pointed in the right direction. I’ll be subbing for a small construction firm who I wash for occasionally. I am headed there this afternoon to fly drone and get pics and hopefully get up on roof to inspect further.
what drone do you use? just curious cause i’m looking to get one
You have a WFP?
Sounds like the only way you could clean a 100’ long skylight would be with a wfp, or boom lift?
Seeing pics would help.
You need to go visit over on the WCR side
I have the DJI Mini 2
Yeah definitely make a new post on the WCR page on this one. I’ve done residential skylights but nothing that big.
Are they those big, pyramid shaped monstrosities?
No - never cleaned a window in my life! Turns out the windows are fiberglass/plastic. I was able to just use a little water and the black streaks that are on it started lifting. I’m wondering if I can use house mix on it - I will test a small area first, but might be able to use my 12v. The panels themselves are 12’ x 5’ - once I was up close it wasn’t as big as it seemed. Do you have any experience with that type of skylight panel - fiberglass - not clear, and has strands running through it. It seems like it would be able to handle chemical - maybe not a heavy mix, but very light - it does seem like it’s organic.
Yeah - I did search on the WCR side for a little bit before I went this afternoon but didn’t find anything solid. I’ll search again though. It’s not clear glass - some kind of fiberglass. I’m wondering if a light house mix might get it to lift and then just rinse the heck out of it. It doesn’t look like I need to worry about streaks since it’s not clear. There are a few missing bolts and places where the supporting frames aren’t bolted down, but I’m gonna sub to a construction company who said that they will get the owner to sign a waiver for any leaks - it’s not leaking now, but there are a few places where the caulking is missing in addition to the aluminum frame pieces that aren’t bolted down.
Turns out a lot smaller than I thought honestly. Each panel is 12’ x 5’, it’s just long. I’m thinking I could honestly get this done in a few hours. I still think I’m gonna tell them T&M though so I don’t end up spending two days and kicking myself 
It helps that the roof is flat and the panels are only 12’ high (at an angle obviously) I think I should be able to reach it with one of those fiberglass poles with a scrub brush attached to it. It’s like being on the sun up there though - very bright and HOT!
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Make sure you at least register whatever drone you get - hobby/personal registration is $5 for 3 years. There is a Youtube video of a guy who didn’t - flew to Vegas, forgot to set the home position and it landed at McCarren on the runway - he got a $25k fine! Yikes!! Technically, if you take pics with a drone used for commercial purposes, you need to have an FAA license - 107 part B, because they can fine you. I got my 107-B a few years ago.
You can use an extension pole with a scrubber and squeegee and or wfp but I wouldn’t if:
Next best thing you can do like you said… is maybe house wash mix and rinse. But test a small area first… if that doesn’t work just toss it to someone who knows how to clean windows.
I cleaned that fiberglass material a customer used to make a covered porch. It was the corrugated roofing panels. It looked a lot like that when dirty, but when worse because of the lichen all over it.
I hit and let a 1% mix dwell a couple times, quick brushing and low pressure rinse. I had to go over it twice because of the lichen, they were really on there. I’d say no need for a wfp, just put your strongest hw mix in and lightly brush it.
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Thanks Nick. That’s my plan - I appreciate the input - that helps me.
Thanks @Narcos - I’ll report back when I get back there to rest it out. I appreciate the help!
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Yes, have cleaned this older fiberglass “wiggle board” often. It can handle a hot mix, that will expedite killing the organics that are embed in it, and less passes.
No WFP, a couple rounds of HW mix “should” get it better. Notice I said better, not clean. In my experience- it will never clean up completely, it yellows with age and some stains seem permanent.
Thank you @Traskrider - this makes sense. I noticed when I took pics from inside from one angle the skylight seemed amber colored and from the opposite angle almost bluish in color. This is great info to be able to set expectations as well. I don’t think I’ll be able to get pressure on it (can’t access from front of building without shutting things down because of mall traffic) but hoping to get my softwash hose (or at worst a bucket of mix) and a pole with a scrub brush on it. I appreciate the input!
Seeing the pics I wouldn’t use a WFP……just hit with some mix, may need to brush. I’ve done some like that before, my house wash mix did fine, hit twice and it turned out great. Much success!
I’d start with a house mix and go up from there if needed. Wouldn’t really call those skylights like the windows, but I get what they are getting to. We wash fiberglass shed’s and carports from time to time, imagine it would be the same process.
